The MBC Mon-Tues drama Ripley’s lead actors’ appearance in variety programs has become aborted and the background that led to it is gathering attention.

According to multiple broadcast affiliates, the lead actors of Ripley such as Park Yoochun, Lee Dahae, Kang Hyejung, and Kim Seungwoo have examined/felt out appearing in the MBC variety program “Come to Play” since the end of last month, but in the end, the appearance fell through.

On the surface, “Come to Play” (first) raised the reason that because one of the leads Kim Seungwoo appears as the MC in the program “On the Roll” by the rival broadcast company KBS, the possibility of the four main actors appearing together was low.

However, after even Kim Seungwoo showed the intention to appear (despite the) difficulty, it suggested the plan to have only the 3 excluding Park Yoochun appear. In the end, the appearance by the Ripley cast on “Come to Play” has become naught.

Further, the MBC Entertainment Program “Section TV Entertainment Communication” also cancelled the interview of the set of the photographing for the Ripley poster that took place on the 29th of last month. On the set of the poster-making, only MBC’s “Feeling-good Day” and “Entertainment Plus” teams proceeded with the interviews. “Feeling-good Day” is categorized as a Cultural program (T/N: That is, not a “variety program”).

Generally, it was the custom of the entertainment news programs that they progress with the interviews at the set of the poster-filming for the promotion of the drama of their own company. Furthermore, “Section TV Entertainment Communication” had set aside (in their schedule) the Ripley Interview beforehand but suddenly cancelled, which adds questions.

Relating to this, “Section TV Entertainment Communication” saved their words, saying that “it was because on that day we were flooded with items to air.” However, inside MBC’s variety department, the word that in the end SM Entertainment’s influence had a play is circulating openly. One PD of the variety department who requested that he remain anonymous sighed, saying: “Why do you ask when you already know. We’re also in the position in which we have to be wary (T/N: literally, attempt to read one’s mind in order to do what he wants).”

Park Yoochun also hardly could appear in variety programs of KBS at the time when he appeared in his past project, the KBS drama “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” which was a huge success. He has sometimes appeared in news programs or current events programs on public television after his conflict with his management agency, but the reality is that he is unable to climb over the wall of the department of variety programs.